


Stand By Me

by CookieBytes



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Domestic, Game Spoilers, M/M, brief mention of starish, fluuf with light angst, syoai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-23 20:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21087578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CookieBytes/pseuds/CookieBytes
Summary: [Inspired by Stand By Me photo shoot]On a rainy back, on his way back to his apartment, Syo found Ai taking shelter outside of a cafe. Syo invited Ai over to his place till the rain pass, but he rain also encourage them to open up to each other.





	Stand By Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [proexochodus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/proexochodus/gifts).

> Happy Anniversary On Earth Cheri!!
> 
> Another year of your existence has passed and I'm thankful I could be part of it. I have been planning this fic since September after you told me about your agenda. I'm not as familiar with this pair as you are so I hope I did it JUSTICE.

The sky was a mix of grey and muted blues, raindrops crashed onto the roads. Pedestrians held their umbrellas over their heads. Syo yawned, an umbrella in his hand, as he walked down the street, passed shops. 

He approaches a crossing, the red light glowed in the dull scene. Cars passed by him in a hurry and on the other side of the road, Syo noticed a familiar man with cyan hair, taking cover from the rain. The light turned green and Syo squeezed his way through the crowd.

“Ai-senpai!” Syo shouted,

The man turned towards him, his eyes widened “Syo, what are you doing here? Don’t you have a photoshoot?”

“It finished early,” Syo replied quickly. 

Ai’s clothes stuck to his skin, as water dripped from his hair and clothes. A small tinge of pink spread across Syo’s cheeks.

“Are you okay? Your face seems a bit red.” Ai asked, even though his face remained expressionless, even though he sounded concerned. 

“I-I’m fine, but look at you are soaked.” 

“I’m fine, I am merely damp.”

Syo grabbed Ai’s hand it was cold to the touch, “You’re not damp, you’re soaked. Let’s get back to my apartment.”

“But you have one umbrella.”

Syo looked at the pink umbrella above his head, “Doesn’t matter,” Syo grabbed Ai’s hand and pulled him underneath the umbrella, “We can share it.”

“Your body temperature increased, are you sure you are okay?” 

Syo’s face flushed brighter, he looked away, “I-I’m fine, hurry up or else you’ll catch a cold.”

Ai let out a small laugh, “If you say so,”

~☆~

The street was deserted as street lights started to light up, casting their shadows on the walls. They walked together under the small umbrella and Syo held the umbrella clumsily since the umbrella failed to fully cover Ai, who was ‘a bit’ taller than him. 

“Syo, can you bring the umbrella higher, I’m getting wet.”

“I’m trying to.”   
Syo felt Ai’s hands wrapped around his hand that was holding the umbrella, his skin was smooth and Syo’s heart thundered in his chest. The handle slipped pass his fingers and he looked up into cool cyan eyes, Ai’s hand wrapped around the handle of the umbrella. 

“Come closer,” Ai said.

“I’m fine.” Syo hastily replied, looking away from him.

Ai moved closer to Syo, their shoulders touched and Syo felt his heart roared a deafening thunder. The heat rising to his cheeks.

“You need it more than me,” Syo said, moving the umbrella towards Ai’ side.

“You’re going to catch a cold if you don’t come, closer.”

Syo groaned silently, shuffling closer to Ai. The empty streets were filled with the sound of rain crashing, with the faint sound of thunder in the distance. Syo glanced at Ai, his stomach twisted into knots, their footsteps are in sync. Syo saw the glimmer in his eyes, the eyes deep like the ocean and he was mesmerised by them, his flawless skin and he wanted to feel his ‘touch’ one more time. 

Syo heard the low hum, which snapped him back to reality. A bumper appeared in the corner of his eye, as he saw the car on the puddle’s reflection, driving towards them. His instinct kicked in, in a swish movement he stood in front of Ai and pushed him to the wall. The umbrella flew out of Ai’s hand, the car sped through the puddle, the cold water splashed on Syo’s back, shivers went down his spine, as water dripped down his skin. 

“That was close.” Syo sighed, 

Their eyes met, absorbed in each other's gaze, his skin was burning, even though he was shivering. 

“Syo!” He heard a voice calling his name, muffled like he was underwater or the voice was underwater.

He saw the concerned look on Ai’s face, as Ai put his cool hands, on Syo’s cheek. His eyelids sunk lower, trying to fight it.

“What?” His words were slurred, the world out of focus.

“Syo, hang a bit longer.” 

A cool voice filled with worry that made his heart quenched was the last thing Syo remembered. 

~☆~

Syo’s eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the darkness of the room, his room. The rain softer and faint, he slowly sat upright, he saw Ai watching the raindrops sliding down the windowpane. 

“Ai?” He croaked, “W-what are you doing here?”

Ai turned around, his eyes glowed from the little light from the streetlamps outside. He approached Syo, leaned closer to him, Ai placed his hand on Syo’s forehead.

“W-what?’ Syo said, flustered, he felt like his heart was on fire.

“Your fever went down,” Ai said, “You need to take care of yourself better,” 

“T-thanks.”

“For what?” Ai replied, confused, “I only did what anyone would.”

Ai got his stuff and headed out to the door, Syo jolted out of his sheets,

‘Are you crazy?” Syo declared; his head throbbed, but tolerable.

“What do you mean?” Ai said nonchalantly, 

“It's pouring out there, and it's late.” 

“I have an umbrella,” Ai said, picking up Syo’s umbrella that leaned against his door, “I’ll return it to tomorrow.” 

“An umbrella won’t shelter you from the storm,” His voice cut in like a cold sharp knife. 

The thunder roared, as raindrops plummeted and crashed into a deafening symphony. They stared at each other in silence, a suffocating silence.

“Stay” He whispered, it was barely audible, but Ai heard him. 

Ai’s calculative gaze was on Syo, with his concerned, lonely eyes. Those eyes that burnt with passion, is now, a dying flame. Those eyes that made his chest clenched earlier that day when Syo protected him from that car. He couldn’t describe this feeling even if he searched within himself for at least a single word to describe it, he couldn’t, he couldn’t find a single word to identify this mysterious feeling. 

“Fine, if it pleases you.”, Ai gently dropped his stuff on the floor, and he crawled onto Syo’ bed.

“W-wait what are you doing?” Syo stammered.

“Were you expecting me to sleep on the floor?” he remarked, “You don’t even have a futon in your place. Terrible hospitality.” 

“Shut up.” He sighed, scooting further towards the wall. 

A satisfied smirk formed across Ai’s lips and he let out a light chuckle.

“Man, you like to tease me a lot?” Syo grumbled.

“Seeing your reactions is endearing.”

“Endearing?!” Syo, rolled over, facing Ai.

Their eyes met and Syo felt his temper simmered down in his stomach, “You changed.” Syo whispered.

“Changed?”

“Well,” The blonde stuttered, “You are less distant, you are more open and you are less guarded.”

“Hmm.”

“I still dislike the teasing, the schedules, but I learnt to accept that it's part of you.”

Ai chuckled, “But, you are also thankful for them, you wouldn’t be the idol you are today without them.” 

Ai stopped, his gaze set on the blonde, who’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. His face is like a pristine lake, calm and peaceful. Ai shuffled underneath the bedsheets, but he noticed his fingers tangled with his, his warm clammy hands set Ai’s skin on fire. Ai wanted to let go, but he instead gripped tighter. Fascinated how this ball of energy is actually sleeping so still and quietly. 

He swiped a stray lock hair away from his face, “Goodnight, Syo.” Ai whispered.

And when the sun rose, Footsteps pattered on the floor, the door creaked closed, the blankets are over the sleeping Syo, the bedsheets are wrinkled, where someone laid there and the umbrella against the doorframe was gone. 

~☆~

The morning light streamed through the gaps of the curtains, the aftermath of the storm yesterday, left rouge raindrops on the windowpane. Syo groaned, and let out a yawn, he looked around; white walls, the unnatural clean smell lingered in his room. A TV hung in the corner, while a basket of fruits laid on his bedside table. The beep of machines pierced through the silence.  _ Where’s Ai-senpai? Where am I? _

There was a knock, “Come in.”, his voice sounded more hoarse than he remembered.

“Syo-chan.”

“Karou, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be continuing your studies?”

“How are you feeling?” He brushed his brother’s questions off, a sad smile on his face.

“I-I’m fine, what happened?”

“Your condition got worst.”

“WORST?!” He coughed, that felt like he was hacking his lungs out, “It was just a cold.”

He ignored Syo, his voice gone dark and his eyes are downcasted, “It started as a cold, and it got worse. You’ve been out for a few days.”

Syo shuffled out of the bedsheets, pulling the tubes and wires connected to him. 

“Syo-chan,” Karou called, his voice was like a blade, sending chills up Syo’s spine, “You aren’t free to go yet… Doctor’s orders.”

“I’m fine.”

“ _ Syo, _ ” He called again, this time leaving out the -chan, his voice stern but holding sobs, “I’m scared…”

“There’s nothing you should be scared of.”

“You’re right, there is nothing to be scared of.” Karou smiled and laughed; a light nervous laugh, but Syo saw through it.   
“Don’t lie to me!” Syo glared at him, a pained expression on his face, “We’re brothers, we don’t hide stuff from each other!” He stood up in a fit of rage, before collapsing to the ground, his free hand clutching his chest like his heart was clawing its way out of his skin.

“Syo!” Karou rushed to him, the machines beeping rapidly and urgently, 

“Syo!” A cool voice called for him, even when Karou was calling to him, panic and worry in his eyes.

“Syo, Wake up!” The voice called, that wasn’t Karou’s

“Wake up?”

“Wake up!” The voice called again.

~☆~

Syo jolted upright, cold sweat sliding down his face, his breath was shallow, eyes darting around the room.

“It was just a dream,” Ai said,    
  


Ai sat next to him, the bed sunk a bit deeper underneath his weight. Syo cautiously looked around, his vision a bit fuzzy. No machines, no plain white walls, he couldn’t smell the stinging smell of antiseptic, he was in his room, bedsheets soaked in sweat, the low table had a plastic bag and a steaming hot bowl. A fragrance wafted past Syo. 

“What’s that smell?” Syo croaked, 

“Porridge,” Ai answered, “Everyone came over and help out when they heard the news.”

“Did Natsuki, ‘helped’ with the cooking?” Shivers went down his spine, remembering the last time he ate Natsuki’s cooking, making this cold a lot more like heaven.

“The porridge is safe.” 

There was a deep growl that echoed in the room, and Syo blushed, 

“I guess, you’re hungry,”

Syo nodded, unsure if he is still dreaming or not.  _ Ai-senpai wouldn’t take time out of his busy schedule to take care of me? Would he? _

Ai passed the bowl to Syo, he grabbed the spoon on the table. He took a bite, his chest radiated warmth, and he took another bite stuffing his face with the meal.

“What was that dream about?” Ai asked, nonchalantly.

The spoon hung in the air and he stared at Ai, frozen in place.

“If you don’t want to answer that’s fine,” Ai added,

Syo sighed, placing the lukewarm bowl on the table, looking out of his window. The sun setting and the neighbourhood below him was still like a painting, 

“I sometimes think that one day, I’ll wake up from this dream, back in the hospital bed, watching the world walking pass by while time stays still inside my room.”

Syo gripped his fists tighter, but he felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked up and Ai shuffled next to him, watching the still sunset outside. 

“What will happen to me?” His voice was faint, fragile, he was trembling, in frustration. The dream burnt in his memory, a history he couldn’t forget and the thought it will come back and haunt him.

“It’s a cold, you will recover.”

“What if it gets worse?” He questioned, remembered what dream Karou told him. 

_ “It started out as a cold... And it got worse.”  _

“From my analysis, just a few days of rest and medicine and you should be back to normal.” Ai’s cyan eyes were focused on the scene outside, “Also, I missed your energy.”

Syo faced Ai, he lips formed a thin line and his eyes showed a silent longing. Syo shuffled closer, placed his hand on Ai’s hand. Their eyes met, and he was taken away, lost in his cyan eyes. A small blush appeared on their cheeks, they quickly looked away, focusing on the sunset lit streets, but his hand was warm slowly Ai entangled his fingers with Syo’s. 

_ Is this a dream? This has to be a dream. Is it? _

“When I first met you in the master course, I wasn’t interested in training you or Natsuki,” Ai said.

“I figured.” Syo scoffed, yet his heart sunk. 

“But, as I got to know about you, Natsuki and Starish more,” A fluttering feeling in his stomach and his heart, “I started to develop unknown feelings, especially for you. I only helped you just to find out what this feeling is, I thought I will find my answer, but instead, I have many more questions.” 

Ai felt the warmth of lips on his, he tasted like porridge and smelt like sweat, but Ai didn’t mind. The fluttering sensation, the burning of his skin and the only thing he could think of the blonde. Syo pulled away, his cheeks burned a bright pink almost red, “I hope that answered your question.” 

Ai smirked, “You can’t just start something and not finish it, that’s not very manly of you.” 

“You want to see manly?!” He declared,

Ai pressed their lips to each other in a deep chaste kiss, fingers still intertwined with each other. Syo pulled away, “I-I like you.”

“Of course you do.” Ai snapped back, pulling him back into another kiss, as the night sky peeked above the horizon. 

  
  
  



End file.
